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Curious, Anos stepped over, leaning in to see what she was doing. "Running calculations on something?" he asked casually.

Zoey jumped, nearly dropping her computer as she whipped around to face him.

"Ugh! Do you mind? Ever heard of personal space?" she snapped, eyes flashing in annoyance.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

With a soft "Ding," a notification popped up.

"Zoey\'s favorability towards you -5."

Anos blinked in surprise. "…"

Really? He was just curious! Was it that big a deal to ask a question? Sure, his timing might\'ve been a bit off, but still, did she have to be so prickly? Then again, he reasoned, anyone would be startled if interrupted mid-focus.

The others exchanged helpless smiles. Knox spoke up, "Zoey, better keep at it. It\'s not exactly calm around here. The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner we\'re back on safer ground."

Zoey shot a glare at Anos before turning back to her computer, focusing intensely.

Anos scratched his nose and backed off.

So stubborn! How was he supposed to win over this pint-sized genius? What did girls like her even enjoy? Candy, maybe? Did he even have any on him? No luck. Besides, Zoey was more mature than most her age—she probably didn\'t go for things as simple as lollipops anyway.

Anos\' mind shifted into darker thoughts. When the time comes, Zoey… let\'s see how I make you scream with My Lollipop, you little bitch. A twisted smirk crept across his face as he imagined how she might react when he finally pushed her too far. That\'s the real way to get her attention.

He quickly shook off the thought, his smirk fading. No, I need to keep my cool for now. Timing is everything.

Knox walked over to Anos and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Zoey\'s scanning Chillwater Valley for any unusual data. If we find something, we might have to cut our trip short."

"Unusual data?" Anos asked, raising an eyebrow.

Knox nodded. "Yeah, for example, demonic beasts with powerful magnetic fields that could mess with our equipment."

"Got it. Thanks for the heads-up, Brother," Anos replied, then turned his gaze forward.

They stood on a slightly elevated hill, overlooking a massive mountain range that stretched out before them. It was so high and steep that climbing it seemed impossible. Even with an advanced hi-tech jet, reaching the top would be out of the question. The mountains emitted some kind of invisible, powerful energy field that stopped even the most advanced technology from advancing any further. This unseen force rendered attempts to fly over the peaks useless, no matter how advanced the aircraft or how experienced the pilots were.

If anyone truly wanted to scale these mountains, their power level would need to be at least at the Astral Fusion Realm. Even then, it wouldn\'t be an easy feat—only those with extraordinary strength could hope to reach the top.

In the middle of the range lay a vast, deep valley—the Chillwater Valley. But this wasn\'t the only one; there were several branches that led deeper into the unknown. The area was immense, and they were standing at the entrance, the closest point to the heart of it. The further they ventured, the colder it got, and fewer people dared to explore beyond the entrance.

Though some had ventured deep into the Chillwater Valley in search of treasures, none had succeeded in finding anything of value. From where Anos stood, the entire mountain range appeared to be frozen in ice, a vast, unyielding landscape that seemed almost otherworldly. The icy barrier made climbing near impossible. The valley itself was the real key, not the peaks. While crystals might form within the valley, it was clear that sunlight never reached those depths—an essential condition for the formation of the elusive Chillwater Shards.

Everything around them appeared ordinary, but the sight of the frozen mountain range sent a chill of certainty through Anos. There was definitely something more to this place.

...

Zoey put away her laptop and addressed the group. "Scanned a total range of 4,000 meters. Found 300 demonic beasts. No strong signals detected. We\'re clear to go in."

"Alright! Everyone, get ready to move!" Knox called out.

Anos couldn\'t help but be amazed. Three thousand meters, and over two hundred demonic beasts? What kind of place was Chillwater Valley to attract such a high concentration of creatures?

Then, a thought clicked. Of course, he realized. Demonic beasts had heightened senses, allowing them to detect Spirit Qi fluctuations that most humans couldn\'t perceive. While some humans could sense or locate Spirit Qi, it heavily depended on their power level. Only those with significant strength or mastery could tap into these subtle energies and feel the presence of Spirit Qi sources from afar.

For so many beasts to thrive in such a harsh, frozen place, there had to be a powerful source of Spirit Qi nearby. This only solidified Anos\'s resolve—whatever was hidden in Chillwater Valley was worth uncovering. If he didn\'t succeed this time, he\'d just come back until he did.

"Let\'s go!" he called out.

With that, they all headed toward the mysterious depths of Chillwater Valley.

....

"I was thinking, why don\'t we just drive in? It\'s wide enough for a car," Anos asked, a bit surprised as he looked down the path ahead.

Zoey rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, you think you\'re the only one with that idea? As if no one else here has thought of that."

"Erm—" Anos rubbed the tip of his nose, swallowing back a sharp response. Her attitude was getting under his skin, and if it weren\'t for all her people around, he\'d have gladly taken her down a peg or two. Maybe even given her a good spanking on those stubborn butt cheeks to remind her who she was talking to, he thought, barely hiding a smirk.

He forced himself to stay calm, reminding himself that patience was key. But a part of him couldn\'t wait for a moment alone with her—to see if she\'d still have that smirk when she was the one feeling flustered. His irritation only fueled his resolve.

Oscar, sensing the tension, stepped in and directed his explanation to Anos. "We could drive in, sure, but the ground ahead is slick with ice, and we\'d be crawling along. The risk is high, especially with so many demonic beasts around. Slow movement in a car would make us easy targets, and if they surrounded us, we\'d end up damaging the car and having to jump out to fight anyway."

Anos nodded, his mind sharpening with focus. Chillwater Valley held more mysteries than he\'d imagined, and the challenges only made his resolve stronger. With every step, he could feel the weight of the unknown pressing against him, but it only fueled his curiosity. As they prepared to venture deeper, he shot one last glance at Zoey, a flicker of intrigue crossing his expression. One day, we\'ll see who\'s really in control here, he thought, the idea settling deep in his mind like a promise he couldn\'t yet fulfill.

With a smirk, he glanced at Zoey. "What? I think asking questions when you don\'t know something shows strength. Admitting what you don\'t know is rare."

Zoey scoffed, folding her arms. "Only weaklings need to ask questions. Real strength doesn\'t come from whining for answers," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Anos raised an eyebrow, catching the challenge in her voice. "Oh? So you\'re saying you\'re not weak?"

"Of course! I\'m stronger than you," Zoey replied, her smirk widening, her stance practically daring him to disagree.

He tilted his head, sizing her up. "So… you\'ve never needed to ask for help or had questions, right?"

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Zoey froze, her confident expression faltering for just a second. Of course, she\'d asked questions before—she wouldn\'t be where she was if she hadn\'t learned from others. But there was no way she\'d admit that to Anos.

She quickly regained her composure, her chin lifting defiantly. "I only asked questions back when I was weaker. I don\'t need anyone\'s help now."

Anos chuckled, clearly entertained by her stubbornness. "Alright, if you\'re so confident, how about we have a little duel when we get back? I\'d be happy to show you who\'s the real weak one here."

Zoey\'s eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, Oscar quickly slipped between them, sensing that this challenge was escalating. He pulled Anos aside and leaned in to whisper urgently. "Anos, let\'s not be hasty about this," he murmured, his voice low. "Sister Zoey\'s not just strong—she\'s a Stage-Nine Elemental Foundation Realm Cultivator. Going up against her… well, let\'s just say, you\'d have your hands full."

....